Applicator

Abstract

An applicator ( 33 ) to deliver viscous liquids such as cream, mayonnaise or mustard. The applicator ( 33 ) includes a cylinder assembly ( 25 ) which receives a piston ( 4 ). The cylinder assembly ( 25 ) separates a pair of chambers ( 26, 27 ). The piston ( 4 ) includes a one-way valve ( 3 ) which is resiliently deflectable from apertures ( 28 ) in the piston to provide for the flow of liquid from the chamber ( 26 ) to the chamber ( 25 ). An inlet extends to the chamber ( 26 ) while an outlet valve ( 1 ) communicates with the chamber ( 24 ). This arrangement minimizes hand pressure required by an operator to manipulate the applicator ( 30 ) in delivering the viscous liquid.

The claims defining the invention are as follows:  
     
       1. A hand held and hand operated applicator to deliver a relatively viscous liquid, said applicator comprising: 
       a body having a handle portion; and  
       delivery means to deliver said relatively viscous liquid, said delivery means including:  
       an interacting piston and cylinder member mounted on the body and enclosing a first chamber from which said viscous liquid is delivered by the applicator and a second chamber to receive said viscous liquid to be delivered to the first chamber, the cylinder member having a cylinder which receives said piston with said piston separating the first and second chambers;  
       an operator manipulated trigger operatively associated with the piston and cylinder to cause delivery of said viscous liquid, the trigger being positioned relative to the handle portion so that a user grips the handle portion and trigger in a hand to cause movement of the trigger relative to the handle;  
       a liquid outlet extending from said first chamber and via which said viscous liquid is delivered;  
       a liquid inlet extending to said second chamber;  
       a conduit extending to said inlet through which said viscous liquid is delivered to said inlet, the conduit being provided to connect the applicator to a supply of said viscous liquid;  
       a one-way valve in said piston connecting said first chamber with said second chamber for the transfer of said viscous liquid from said second chamber to said first chamber while inhibiting flow from said first chamber to said second chamber; and wherein  
       said trigger causes relative reciprocating movement between the piston and cylinder to vary the volume of said second chamber and said first chamber to deliver said viscous liquid from said first chamber when the volume thereof is decreased, while allowing said viscous liquid to enter said second chamber as the volume thereof increases, and delivering to said first chamber from said second chamber said viscous liquid as the volume of said second chamber decreases and the volume of said first chamber increases.  
     
     
       2. The applicator of  claim 1 , wherein said one-way valve includes at least one passage in said piston to provide for the flow of said viscous liquid from said second chamber to said first chamber, and a resilient valve member operatively associated with said passage to effectively close said passage when said viscous liquid is being delivered from said first chamber, the valve member being resiliently deflected with respect to said passage to permit flow through said passage when said viscous liquid is passing from said second chamber to said first chamber. 
     
     
       3. The applicator of  claim 2 , wherein said trigger is pivotably mounted on the body and operatively associated with the piston and cylinder to cause said relative reciprocating movement. 
     
     
       4. The applicator of  claim 3 , wherein said cylinder member is fixed with respect to said body, and said trigger is operatively associated with said piston to cause movement of the piston relative to the cylinder and body. 
     
     
       5. The applicator of  claim 4 , further including a spring operatively associated with the piston to urge the piston to a position maximizing the volume of said first chamber, and therefore minimizing the volume of said second chamber. 
     
     
       6. The applicator of  claim 5 , wherein: 
       said second chamber is closed at an end of said second chamber, opposite said outlet, by a plug mounted in said cylinder member; and  
       a push rod extends from said piston, through said second chamber and plug, to said trigger so that operation of said trigger causes movement of said piston.  
     
     
       7. The applicator of  claim 6 , wherein said cylinder member is removably attached to said body. 
     
     
       8. The applicator of  claim 7 , wherein said cylinder member, including said cylinder and piston, are an assembly, removably attached to said body. 
     
     
       9. The applicator of  claim 5 , further including an outlet one-way valve at said outlet, permitting flow from said first chamber out through said outlet but inhibiting reverse flow. 
     
     
       10. The applicator of  claim 9 , further including a push rod extending from said piston through said second chamber, and wherein said push rod is provided with a passage allowing said viscous liquid to be delivered via the push rod passage to said second chamber. 
     
     
       11. The applicator of  claim 9 , wherein said second chamber is closed at an end of said second chamber, opposite said outlet, by a plug mounted in said cylinder member; and 
       a push rod extends from said piston through said second chamber and plug to said trigger so that operation of said trigger causes movement of said piston.  
     
     
       12. The applicator of  claim 5 , wherein said inlet extends from said cylinder member to communicate with said second chamber. 
     
     
       13. The applicator of  claim 12 , wherein said second chamber is closed at an end of said second chamber, opposite said outlet, by a plug mounted in said cylinder member; and 
       a push rod extends from said piston through said second chamber and plug to said trigger so that operation of said trigger causes movement of said piston.  
     
     
       14. The applicator of  claim 1 , further including an outlet one-way valve at said outlet, permitting flow from said first chamber out through said outlet but inhibiting reverse flow. 
     
     
       15. The applicator of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet extends from said cylinder member to communicate with said second chamber. 
     
     
       16. The applicator of  claim 1 , further including a push rod extending from said piston through said second chamber, and wherein said push rod is provided with a passage allowing said viscous liquid to be delivered via the push rod passage to said second chamber. 
     
     
       17. The hand held and hand operated applicator of  claim 1 , wherein said applicator contains said viscous liquid. 
     
     
       18. A hand held and hand operated applicator to deliver a relatively viscous liquid, said applicator comprising: 
       a body having a handle portion; and  
       delivery means for delivering said relatively viscous liquid, said delivery means including:  
       an interacting piston and cylinder member mounted on the body and enclosing a first chamber from which said viscous liquid is delivered by the applicator and a second chamber to receive said viscous liquid to be delivered to the first chamber, the cylinder member having a cylinder which receives said piston;  
       an operator manipulated trigger operatively associated with the piston and cylinder to cause delivery of said viscous liquid, the trigger being positioned relative to the handle portion so that a user grips the handle portion and trigger in a hand to cause movement of the trigger relative to the handle, said trigger including a trigger lever gripped and manipulated by the operator, and a pivot member attached to the lever and entering the body and engaged with the piston so that, upon movement of the lever, said piston is caused to reciprocate relative to said cylinder by pivoting movement of said pivot member;  
       a liquid outlet extending from said first chamber and via which said viscous liquid is delivered;  
       a liquid inlet extending to said second chamber;  
       a conduit extending to said inlet through which said viscous liquid is delivered to said inlet, the conduit being provided to connect the applicator to a supply of said viscous liquid;  
       a one-way valve in said piston connecting said first chamber with said second chamber for the transfer of said viscous liquid from said second chamber to said first chamber while inhibiting flow from said first chamber to said second chamber;  
       an outlet one-way valve at said outlet, permitting flow from said first chamber out through said outlet but inhibiting reverse flow; and wherein  
       said trigger causes relative reciprocating movement between the piston and cylinder to vary the volume of said second chamber and said first chamber to deliver said viscous liquid from said first chamber when the volume thereof is decreased, while allowing said viscous liquid to enter said second chamber as the volume thereof increases, and delivering to said first chamber from said second chamber said viscous liquid as the volume of said second chamber decreases and the volume of said first chamber increases.  
     
     
       19. The applicator of  claim 18 , wherein said one-way valve includes at least one passage in said piston to provide for the flow of said viscous liquid from said second chamber to said first chamber, and a resilient valve member operatively associated with said passage to effectively close said passage when said viscous liquid is being delivered from said first chamber, the valve member being resiliently deflected with respect to said passage to permit flow through said passage when said viscous liquid is passing from said second chamber to said first chamber. 
     
     
       20. The applicator of  claim 19 , wherein said trigger is pivotably mounted on the body by said pivot member. 
     
     
       21. The applicator of  claim 20 , further including a spring operatively associated with the piston to urge the piston to a position maximizing the volume of said first chamber, and therefore minimizing the volume of said second chamber. 
     
     
       22. The applicator of  claim 18 , wherein said inlet extends from said cylinder member to communicate with said second chamber. 
     
     
       23. The applicator of  claim 18 , wherein the lever extends generally in the same direction as the handle and said pivot member is generally normal to the lever. 
     
     
       24. The applicator of  claim 18 , wherein said cylinder member is removably attached to said body. 
     
     
       25. The applicator of  claim 18 , wherein said cylinder member including said cylinder and piston, are an assembly, removably attached to said body. 
     
     
       26. The hand held and hand operated applicator of  claim 18 , wherein said applicator contains said viscous liquid.